Without a doubt, Picture This has been the most challenging, rewarding and valuable studio I’ve experienced in my degree so far.  Initially, there was a slight concern that I wasn’t seeking enough variety when I put down this class as my first preference in the ballot. However, I firmly believe that screenwriting is a medium which is so intricate and expansive that it warrants two semesters of exploration. Where I felt that Another World helped me cultivate an understanding of world-building, Picture This allowed me to put all the pieces together and harness a more refined grasp of what an effective screenplay truly encompasses. Stayci navigated us all through the inner mechanics of screenwriting, and implored us to not be intimidated by format conventions- something which had a profound impact on the class, as we slowly began to feel more self-assured in our ability to show rather than tell. Through consistent writing exercises, I felt fully immersed in this studio and realised the importance of not being constantly fixated on an end product- regular practice is essential. Each week, we would try to write something derived from a prompt or a short screening- a process which really strengthened my efficiency as a writer. Looking back, my favourite aspect of this studio was sharing all our responses to these quick screenwriting tasks- it was incredible to see the variety of rich, creative ideas which had come to fruition in ten minutes of class time. It highlighted to me that a simple premise can go in so many different directions and be moulded into a multitude of genres- it all depends on what story we imagine, and how we envisage to tell it.

While I really enjoyed the hands-on approach we had each class, my main concern is that my final work wasn’t a clear reflection of all the things I’ve learnt during these past 12 weeks. I responded well to the readings and found the process of evaluating other people’s work rewarding, yet I kept a guard up when it came to sharing my own work. Obviously, it can be quite daunting to offer up some pages for feedback- you sit there anxiously, watching their eyes dart down the paper as you try to detect any disapproval in their expression. In hindsight, my reservations were detrimental- screenwriting is a collaborative process in the real world, and I wasted the opportunity to familiarize myself with open commentary. It’s hard to envisage my screenplay Mars in Retrograde as the foundation of a short film- the pacing is all over the place, and the premise is far too convoluted for a tight duration.  I remember reading somewhere that a short film shouldn’t tell a fragment of a story- it should be the story- and I wish I made a more active effort into applying that principle to my work. A few weeks ago, I realised that I had to drastically condense my original concept- the treatment was a long, poorly constructed mess anchored down with unnecessary details. While going to the chopping board was a necessary process, I can’t help but feel that I didn’t just minimise my word count- I also reduced whatever charm and intrigue my original idea possessed. Despite my decidedly conflicting feelings surrounding Mars in Retrograde, I am immensely proud that I was able to write a full-fledged screenplay laced with earnest attempts of audio-visual language. Sure, it’s too dialogue heavy and I’m not sure how explicitly the comedic tone comes through to the reader, but it’s a truly gratifying feeling to see your concept develop into a fifteen-page screenplay. Ultimately, Picture This has further instilled in me the desire to continue to study and practice screenwriting- knowing that there’s still so much more to learn is what fuels my passion for it!